Ballina: Anti-fluoride group bares teeth

A BALLINA anti-fluoridation group has taken aim at Ballina mayor Phillip Silver, accusing him of ‘falsely misrepresenting’ ratepayers at this week’s Rous Water council meeting.

The Ballina Fluoridation Free Network said despite comments by Cr Silver to the contrary, the Ballina community had never voted in favour of adding fluoride to the shire’s water supply.

“BFFN strongly objects to the blatant dishonest representation by mayor Silver that his ratepayers had voted for fluoridation,” spokesperson Ilga Sleja said.

As reported on Thursday, during a debate about fluoridation at a Rous Water meeting on Wednesday, Cr Silver said: “I represent a community who have democratically recorded they wish to have their water supply fluoridated.”

Yesterday, Cr Silver stood by this comment, but said it should not be inferred that ratepayers had voted.

“That’s not what I said. What I said was I represent a community who had recorded they want fluoride, that is the council vote rather than ratepayers,” he told The Northern Star.

However, the anti-fluoride group accused the council of deliberately excluding the community.

Ms Sleja said there was no public consultation before the vote was taken in March to approve fluoridation.

She said the only form of consultation had been in 2006, which was a Western Research Institute Survey of 500 mainly elderly residents across all four of Rous Water’s constituent councils.

However, Cr Silver said there had been extensive consultations before the vote was taken by council.